Ready for a scare? The 2025 winner of the Youth Scary Story Contest for 8th through 12th grade is Julia K., an 8th-grader at All Saints Catholic School. Judges loved the way the opening lines of the story set the mood, as well as the ways the story grew darker as it went on. “The ending left me truly frightened and uneasy,” said one judge - and once you read “Whispers in the Woods,” you’ll understand why!
Want to read more scary stories? Check these out:
- “The Lost Boy and the Graveyard” by Oubre K., our winner for grades PreK-2
- “The Girl Named Ella” by Samantha R., our winner for grades 3 - 5
- “Between the Trees” by Madison R., our winner for grades 6 - 7
Whispers in the Woods by Julia K.
Emma always hated the woods. There was something about the way the trees stood too close together, like they were whispering secrets no one should know. But when her friends Mia and Charlotte asked to go camping near Widows Creek, she couldn’t resist.
Laughing, Mia said, “It’ll be fun, it’s just one weekend with no technology, rules, or parents.”
“Yeah,” Charlotte added, “we will be fine.”
Standing in the middle of the forest, those words rang in Emma’s head. The first few hours were amazing, finally getting some fresh air, sunlight gleaming through branches, and the hum of insects. Although as they hiked deeper into the forest, everything seemed to change. The forest grew still, like it was listening for something.
“Ugh, weren’t we supposed to hit the creek an hour ago?” said Mia, frowning.
“Didn’t we pass that tree already?” Charlotte groaned, swatting an insect.
“No way we’ve been walking straight the whole way.” Mia said quickly.
The trees all looked the same tall and close together.
“Straight where?” Emma said. As the trail had disappeared behind them.
“Let’s just keep going,” Mia said, trying to sound encouraging.
As they walked for what felt like hours, the sun began to go down and the forest turned black. When Mia finally turned on her flashlight, it only lit up a small circle of the forest.
Then came the whispers. At first, it was a faint rustle. Emma froze, barely breathing, trying to listen.
“Did you hear that?” Charlotte asked quietly. The air seemed to get colder…heavier.
Mia tried to laugh, but it came out shaky. “It’s probably just the wind.”
The whisper came again, soft and eerie, making the girls’ stomachs twist.
“Emmaa…”
Emma stopped in her tracks. “It said my name.”
Mia spun around, frantically aiming her flashlight through the darkness. “Who’s there?”
Charlotte stepped back, branches cracking under her feet, making her jump. Mia’s flashlight flickered once, twice, then went out, leaving them in the dark.
“Mia?” Emma whispered. But Mia didn’t answer.
“Mia!” Emma yelled.
Not a sound. Just silence and a cold breeze. As Emma turned, Charlotte was gone too. Alone, she sprinted through the forest, branches scraping her arms and leaves crunching under her feet. Out of breath, she finally stopped, her eyes dry from the wind. As she looked out, hoping for some sign of safety, she saw a glimpse of a warm yellow light through the trees.
A cabin.
Emma shoved the wooden, scratched door open, desperate for safety. Warmth rushed out the door, the fire still warm. On the cabin wall hung dozens of framed pictures. Just as Emma began to feel relieved, her stomach dropped, every single picture was of her. Her grinning softly at the trail, her sprinting through the woods, even one of her sleeping in the tents the night before. Although the newest photo, still warm and damp, showed her standing in the cabin, staring at the wall of pictures. Although she wasn’t alone. Behind her, something was smiling, crooked and wide. Its eyes were too dark to be human. She choked on her breath, as she turned slowly, the air getting colder with each heartbeat. The fire went out. And in the darkness she heard it whisper her name, right next to her ear. The forest swallowed her screams.
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